Audi overtakes BMW as India's top-selling premium brand

May 18, 2013 06:01 CET
Audi has overtaken BMW as India's top seller of luxury vehicles, and Audi executives say the success is due to the automaker's rapid expansion outside large urban centers, as well as the Q3 SUV introduced last year.... Read More »

 

BRADFORD WERNLE

In the Land of Many Buicks, one in particular stood out

3:59 pm U.S. ET | May 17, 2013
If you were an alien from another world and your spaceship landed in Shanghai, you would immediately conclude that Buick is a planetary titan among automotive brands.... Read More »

 

In boost to GM and VW, China resumes incentives for foreign auto investment

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 17, 2013
A surprise policy shift in China is expected to give a boost to GM, Volkswagen Group and other foreign automakers planning to expand in the world's largest car market.... Read More »

 

ANALYSIS

New S class key to boosting Mercedes profit margins, China sales

May 17, 2013 06:01 CET
Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche was leaning back in the rear seat of a prototype Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan in 2010 when he realized it didn't recline far enough.... Read More »

 

VW Group sales increase 7% in April

May 17, 2013 12:06 CET
Volkswagen Group's global monthly sales picked up pace again in April after growing at their slowest rate in more than three years a month earlier. VW Group said on Friday that deliveries to customers rose 7 percent to 784,600 vehicles last month.... Read More »

 

VW, GM, others get unexpected boost in China

May 17, 2013 06:01 CET
A surprise policy shift in China is expected to give a boost to VW Group, GM and other foreign automakers planning to expand in the world's largest car market.... Read More »

 

Ford to shift Fiesta output to Thailand from Mexico, report says

4:07 pm U.S. ET | May 16, 2013
Ford, moving to ease production constraints in North America, plans to shift output of the Fiesta subcompact from Mexico to Thailand in 2016, The Detroit News reported today.... Read More »

 

ANALYSIS

New S class key to boosting Mercedes profit margins, China sales

9:00 am U.S. ET | May 16, 2013
Daimler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche was leaning back in the rear seat of a prototype Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan in 2010 when he realized it didn't recline far enough.... Read More »

 

Volkswagen starts construction of 300,000-vehicle plant in China

May 16, 2013 09:04 CET
Volkswagen has begun construction of a new factory in Changsha, China, with an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles, the company said in a statement today. The plant is one of seven factories being built by the company as it seeks to expand annual capacity in China to 4 million vehicles by 2018 in order to meet growing demand.... Read More »

 

Renault expects 5% dip for European car market

May 16, 2013 09:34 CET
Renault expects the European car market to shrink 5 percent this year over last year, Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares said. The French carmaker foresees the European market being "slightly better" in the remaining three quarters of this year than the first three months, when European market sales fell 10 percent after a "very poor performance," Tavares said.... Read More »

 

DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC

Is the S in the new Mercedes S class for Shanghai?

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 15, 2013
The new Mercedes-Benz S class made its world premiere today in Hamburg, Germany, but Shanghai might have been more appropriate. Why? China accounted for nearly half of all S-class sales from 2010-2012.... Read More »

 

DOUGLAS A. BOLDUC

Is the S in the new Mercedes S class for Shanghai?

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 15, 2013
The new Mercedes-Benz S class makes its world premier today in Hamburg, Germany, but Shanghai might have been more appropriate. Why? China accounted for nearly half of all S-class sales from 2010-2012.... Read More »

 

Volkswagen said to favor China's FAW for budget brand

May 14, 2013 15:34 CET
Volkswagen favors launching a planned budget brand in China with local joint-venture partner FAW, sources said. VW aims to introduce the low-cost marque in about three years and may eventually expand it to more than one model.... Read More »

 

Audi sales in China exceed BMW, Mercedes on demand for SUVs

May 14, 2013 11:04 CET
Audi saw the fastest sales growth among German premium marques in China last month after deliveries rose 13 percent to 38,710 vehicles in China and Hong Kong, the company said today. BMW, the world's largest premium automaker, reported an 11 percent gain in core-brand sales to 30,311 units, while Mercedes-Benz said brand sales increased 11 percent to 16,241 units.... Read More »

 

BMW invests 3 billion euros in EVs, report says

May 13, 2013 12:00 CET
BMW will invest 3 billion euros through the end of this year on the development of its lineup of electric vehicles, funding the "i" subbrand with earnings from its booming business in China, a German business newspaper reported.... Read More »

 

China is a learning lab for Lincoln

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 13, 2013
Lincoln is studying the habits of luxury shoppers at Shanghai's luxury malls for new ideas in customer service that eventually could find their way back to U.S. dealerships.... Read More »

 

Falling yen lifts outlook for Japanese

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 13, 2013
For five years, a rising yen undermined Japanese automakers' profits. Now the currency's sudden weakening has delivered dramatic gains, especially in the January-March quarter.... Read More »

 

Toyota: N.A. to fuel biggest profits in 6 years

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 13, 2013
Toyota Motor Corp. expects North America to be its fastest-growing market this fiscal year, driving the company to its highest profits since the global financial crisis.... Read More »

 

Mazda problem solver Kogai gets a new job: CEO

12:01 am U.S. ET | May 13, 2013
After Japan's devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Mazda Motor Corp. CEO Takashi Yamanouchi needed someone to sort out and reinforce the carmaker's shattered supply chain and production system. He chose Masamichi Kogai, a manufacturing and purchasing specialist. Now, Kogai, 58, is getting a new assignment: Run the whole company.... Read More »

 

First Saab-based model released by Beijing Auto

May 11, 2013 16:04 CET
Beijing Automotive Group, which makes vehicles with Daimler and Hyundai, started selling its first sedan based on Saab technology as it prepares to list its BAIC Motor Corp. unit in Hong Kong.... Read More »

 

VW confirms report it will build factory in Changsa, China

May 11, 2013 18:46 CET
VW Group has confirmed a German newspaper report that said it will build a factory with an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles in Changsa, Hunan province, China.... Read More »

 

Airbag supplier Takata names first foreign president

May 10, 2013 19:25 CET
Japan's Takata, reeling from its role in a global airbag recall, said today it will replace its president with Swiss national Stefan Stocker, the first foreigner in the post.... Read More »

 

Hyundai mulls 4th China plant, vice chairman says

2:31 am U.S. ET | May 10, 2013
Hyundai Motor is considering building a fourth car plant in China, its vice chairman said today, as the company seeks to increase production overseas to counter the effect of a firm local currency, a falling yen, and labor issues.... Read More »

 

Airbag supplier Takata names first foreign president

1:25 pm U.S. ET | May 10, 2013
Japan's Takata, reeling from its role in a global airbag recall, said today it will replace its president with Swiss national Stefan Stocker, the first foreigner in the post.... Read More »

 

Renault-Nissan parts warehouse in India nearly destroyed by fire

May 10, 2013 06:01 CET
A major warehouse supplying parts to a Renault-Nissan plant in India was almost destroyed by fire early on Thursday, but the incident is unlikely to affect alliance operations in the country, Nissan said today.... Read More »